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Ballast Scorcher
Dark Sap Green|mane = Dark Grayish Cobalt Blue|coat = Azureish gray|cutie mark = Steam Whistle|specialtalent = Engineering|timezone = EST}} Background An Earth pony from Appleloosa, he'll tell you he grew up with a love for singing. One might be surprised to discover it wasn't pony voices he'd become infatuated with, however, but the sound of a locomotive's whistle echoing throughout the landscape ("I could listen'a them engines sing day 'n night!" -Ballast Scorcher, unknown date). The stallion's parents (both un-named) moved to Appleloosa hardly a year before he was born, his father hoping to escape the dreary San Palomino Desert, his mother grown tired of life in Manehattan. Like her son, this mother had grown fond of the local trains and, when he announced he wanted to be an engineer one Spring morning at breakfast, wholeheartedly supported his decision, going so far as to take an extra job to help get the money for his tutelage. His dad, on the other hoof, put it down to "foalish dreams", thinking his young son was simply imaginative as any young horse was when they claimed they would be the first pony in space, the next ruler of Equestria, or similar fantasies. Only when he saw the recently matured Ballast Scorcher waving out of a 0-4-4's cab at his mother did he realize his son was serious. "I'm not ashamed ah never truly supported my son's choice'a job, but I'm proud as any dad can be to see him achievin' his dream", he tells ponies. 'Personality' Ballast is the kind of stallion who'll treat everypony the same when he meets them. He takes particularly well to ponies who, like him, enjoy railroading or topics within, as well as ponies who don't smarten themselves up just to meet somepony. He's easily riled up if one continues to pester him while he's working. He enjoys a healthy relationship with his fellow railroaders, including competition ("Ah'll bet I can get this train ter Yanhoover fastr'n you can!"), teasing ("Did'ya see Ballast get the wrong train earlier? Ya'd think he was a full-on boomer!"), and having a good laugh at the local hash house (railroad restaraunt) when the day's work is done. He has a habit of using railroad lingo, which is usually very confusing to anyone not learned in it. 'Known relationships' Belle Ringer - Ballast Scorcher's designated firemare, who as the name suggests has a habit of ringing the engine bell a little too often (much to the annoyance of Ballast, who eventually whomped her over the head with the firemare's shovel). But can we really blame her? The little "ting" is so amusing! (OOC Note from Ballast: If someone wants to take up the character of Belle, DM me on Twitter and I'll tell you what you need to know.) Background crews - Random firecolts/firemares and engineers. 'Trivia' *Ballast Scorcher is a railroading term for a really speedy engineer. *Bell Ringer is also a railroading term which refers to a locomotive fireman. *Unlike most railponies, he doesn't wear a cap. The others joke it must be because he supposedly loses it on a regular basis, but it's unknown if he actually owns one. *Ballast Scorcher is one of the newest railponies. *Ballast is nicknamed "Sooty" by his coworkers, referring to an incident during a locomotive inspection where the engine's firebox coughed and covered him from muzzle to flank in ashes and soot. *Ballast has a cat named Caboose and a dog named Skipper. *Sometimes, one of his pets will accompany him on a journey, usually spooking to the rear of the train when the whistle blows. *Skipper, the name of Ballast's dog, means "conductor" in rail lingo. Category:Stallions Category:OCs Category:Earth Ponies